Against All Odds
by TLY
Summary: Leah: "Damn you, Jacob Black! I hate you! I hate you for making me love you!" Jacob/Leah Jacob/Renesmee
1. Sad, Cynical and Bitter

**Twilight – Against All Odds**

**Author: L**

**Chapter 1 – Sad, Cynical and Bitter**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Twilight or any of its characters.

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Leah's Point of View

My eyes narrowed and my nose wrinkled in disgust as I watched him playing like a love-sick puppy with her. A week ago, we were yelling at each other with bitter and sarcastic comments about Sam and Bella but now, he barely glanced in my direction.

I didn't even know why I was here. Quil and Embry had wanted to see little Renesmee Cullen so Seth decided to go as well, and they thought it was a good idea to drag me along too. It was just what I wanted to see – another member of the pack who had imprinted and found their soul mate.

The smell that was radiating off of her was repulsive. I thought she was supposed to be half-vampire yet she still ended up smelling five times worse than the rest of these bloodsuckers. I could imagine the argument that would erupt when I phased and Jacob heard my views on his sweetheart.

He was stronger than me but I would put up a good fight. My back would be pressed against the ground by his front paws and his hot breath would make my face flushed. There would be a thumping in my heart as the rage bubbled in my blood.

Suddenly, I felt an urge to throw him through the window of the bloodsuckers' ridiculously large living room. I wanted him to be mad at me. At least I wouldn't be invisible to him then. He was the alpha of the pack and I was his beta. I was _his_.

A growl swept through my chest as I repeated these atrocious thoughts. Heads swept towards me in confusion but he only had eyes for her. I swore loudly in my head. I didn't belong to anyone and no one belonged to me either.

Leah Clearwater is an independent werewolf. I'm better than all the others in the pack because I haven't imprinted and I don't want to. Imprinting makes you a slave to someone and it makes you a slave to love. You become weak.

In my world, love doesn't exist. It's a stupid word and it's a stupid emotion. He was right when he told me that I would be alone for the rest of my life. When he had eventually calmed down, he was furiously backtracking but I blocked out his apologies.

Seth would be the next to imprint; he was already looking forward to it. Jealousy stabbed at my heart when I thought about my brother being happy and it was quickly replaced by shame. I could say and think anything I wanted about anyone in Forks, but not my own brother.

I snarled uncontrollably when I saw him place a kiss on the girl's cheek and the curiosity over my strange, but perhaps not surprising, behaviour became too much for them to handle. Taking a second to regain control of myself, my eyes darted in the direction of the voice.

"Leah, are you alright?" Bella asked in a quiet, nervous tone.

Horror struck me when I noticed the leech that she had chosen over Jacob sitting next to her. The fact that he could read minds had escaped me. This meant that my thoughts had been invaded by his infuriating abilities and I had to repress the second snarl that was threatening to escape.

Gritting my teeth, I muttered my reply in a deliberate cold, unpleasant voice. "I'm fine."

Everyone turned back towards the happy couple, forgetting my visible unease. It felt easier to hate Renesmee than it had been to be mad at Emily. Another man in my life had been taken away from me and the reality of this forced a stabbing pain at my heart.

Wait, what was I saying? I obviously just felt sorry for him because he would have to put up with her horrible body odour and freakishly fast growth spurt. Tears appeared in my eyes and I turned away from the scene so I could wipe them before they fell.

People perceived me as a sad, cynical, bitter werewolf. Well, so what? I _like_ being a sad, cynical, bitter werewolf. For a second, I wondered how Jacob's arms would feel around me. Not forcefully holding me down so I didn't sink my teeth into his neck, but gently holding me in his lap, allowing us to share tender moments.

My stomach lurched and I wondered how the leeches would feel if I threw up over their floor. I couldn't believe that, even if it had been for the tiniest moment, I had wanted to know what it was like to be a bloodsucker.

Actually, I reasoned, I wasn't thinking about being a vampire. I just wanted to know what it was like to be with Jacob. My mouth dropped open in shock and my eyes widened incredulously when I realised how true that statement had been.

Locking my gaze upon his muscled body, I waited impatiently for him to look up. The minutes ticked by slowly, taking twice as long as usual, until he finally glanced in my direction. Disappointment immediately hung in the air when he snapped his head back towards the baby bloodsucker, oblivious to my existence.

I spun around impulsively and ran, desperately stopping myself from phasing until I reached the forest that surrounded their house. I hated Jacob Black for doing this to me. Sam's betrayal had slashed my heart leaving a deep cut and now Jacob had added to it.

There was a part of me that defended him and noted that it wasn't his fault, but I had been stunned into silence at the discovery that I could be reasonable. He didn't ask to imprint, especially not on a Cullen.

Bella had been, up until the birth of her daughter, the love of my alpha's life. She had hurt him and he will always be tied to her through that spawn. It was just like how I would always be linked to Sam because he was now my cousin-in-law.

When I reached my house, I barged through the front door and slammed it shut. The stairs shook under my angry footsteps and I buried myself under the covers of my bed, crying for the first time since Sam had left me for Emily.

The old Leah and the new Leah had merged together. I despised myself for falling for the wrong guy again, because the hurt and pain that took me years to numb had returned, this time sharper than ever. I was laced with resentment for Jacob Black yet it didn't seem to overpower the longing that I had for him.

As my eyelids drooped heavily, the last thing I felt was anger and I was perfectly content with keeping it that way.


	2. Get Phasing

**Twilight – Against All Odds**

**Author: L**

**Chapter 2 – Get Phasing**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Twilight or any of its characters.

**Author's Note:** I had to write this chapter in Bella's point of view because Jacob is totally oblivious at the moment.

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Bella's Point of View

I was fixated on the spot that Leah had just vacated. It wasn't her fault that she was struggling to be around us. Werewolves and vampires are supposed to be mortal enemies, not best friends; although I didn't expect her to have such a hostile reaction.

After my transformation, my senses had become sharper and that was how I noticed the flash of concern on Edward's face.

He was having a silent conversation with Alice, seemingly unaware that I was attempting to read their expressions. Putting the shield around Alice's mind drew Edward's attention towards me.

Silently intertwining his fingers with mine, he led me into the kitchen while Alice followed us with her usual bounce. I waited for them to start speaking but neither of them did.

"Are you guys going to tell me what's going on?" I asked in a low voice, determined to prevent any eavesdropping from taking place. This was obviously something serious.

Edward put an arm around my shoulder and murmured in a gentle voice, "Bella, I want you to remain calm when I tell you this." He took one glance at my blank expression and turned his gaze towards Alice. "OK, that's good," he mumbled in response to her thoughts.

"I'm still standing here," I interrupted, allowing the frustration to seep into my words.

There was confusion on Edward's perfectly sculpted face but Alice seemed excited. "Leah likes Jacob!" she practically squealed. Fortunately for us, Alice had managed to keep her voice down.

Astonishment swept over me and I glanced back and forth between them, trying to determine whether they had been joking or not. They stared at me with expressionless faces, and the reality of this finally dawned on me.

"Are you... are you... are you sure?" I stuttered. Nodding once, Edward remained silent, waiting for me to process the situation. "But Jacob's imprinted; he won't return Leah's feelings. This must be killing her. I can't even imagine how hurt she must be."

Swiftly sending a subtle glance back into the living room, a small smile tugged at my lips when I saw my best friend and my daughter laughing happily together. The grin that spread across his face reminded me of the youthful Jacob that I had had so many fun times with.

"Jake's so happy," I said softly. "What if Renesmee grows up and doesn't love him the way he loves her? It will break his heart. Leah's already lost Sam to imprinting, and now she's lost Jacob as well. It's too much for her. She shouldn't have to deal with this."

Pulling me into his chest, he explained quietly, "Imprinting is a really powerful form of magic. Jacob won't be able to fight it; maybe he could try but I don't think it will work. I know I promised you that I wouldn't look into Jacob's mind anymore because it makes him uncomfortable, but there's something that you need to know."

He gently relaxed his grip, taking half a step back so he could see my face. "For the past few weeks, before Nessie was born," he began, ignoring the irritated look I sent him when he used our daughter's nickname. "Jacob had been thinking about Leah a lot, and he was developing a soft spot for her because she understood the way that he was feeling at the time."

That was all I needed to hear and I didn't wait for him to finish speaking. Instead, I rushed into the living room, taking full advantage of my newly-acquired speed, and stopped right in front of Jacob. "You need to go after Leah," I told him.

A blank look washed over his expression and he stared at me for a few seconds before perplexity ran across his handsome features. "I thought Leah was here," Jacob muttered, moving his head left and right in an attempt to spot her.

I couldn't help growling at him when he said that but I regretted it when I saw his shocked face. No wonder Leah hates imprinting; Jacob's acting like he's been brainwashed.

"No, she's not here. Leah left a few minutes ago and you need to go after her because she seemed really upset," I informed him in a pleasant tone although inside, I was screaming at him to get up, get out, and get phasing, but I forced myself to remain calm.

Blinking a few times, the confusion remained on his face and in his voice. "Why can't Seth go?" he questioned curiously. Seth stood up, misinterpreting it as an order from his alpha.

"Sit back down, Seth," I told him in a cold, hard tone before turning back towards Jacob and glaring at him. "_You_ need to go after Leah because you're her alpha and she's your beta. It's your responsibility to look after her and make sure she's alright."

"I want to stay here with Nessie," he whined, becoming angry when I showed no sympathy, choosing only to roll my eyes at his attempt to persuade me. "You can't keep her to all to yourself!" Jacob shouted, standing up so that he was now towering over me.

"She's _my_ daughter!" I retorted incredulously, feeling tempted to knock some sense into him.

I had expected Edward to intervene but to my surprise, he appeared amused by the situation. I growled at him and he held up his hands as a gesture of surrender before walking into the space that separated Jacob and me. He took Renesmee out of Jacob's shivering arms and gave her to Alice.

"That's not fair," Jacob protested as Edward's speed came out in a blur before he could react.

Smiling triumphantly at him, I started pulling him towards the front door. "Too bad, and don't you dare phase in this house." When he struggled against my strength, I turned him round to face me while holding up a clenched fist and threatening, "I won't break my hand if I hit you this time, but I can't make any promises about your jaw."

Breathing heavily as he tried to remain calm, he glowered at me and a tense silence filled the room. The only sound that could be heard was Renesmee's tiny giggle as Alice played with her.

"Leah's at her house," Alice added helpfully as Jacob stormed past her and out the front door, phasing before he had reached the cover of the trees.


	3. Ability to Read Minds

**Twilight – Against All Odds**

**Author: L**

**Chapter 3 – Ability to Read Minds**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Twilight or any of its characters.

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Jacob's Point of View

I phased back into a human as I left the forest, taking only a few seconds to put my sweatpants on again, before sprinting all the way to Leah's house. The anger was sending ripples through my chest so I decided to stand outside the house until I had calmed down.

Why does it matter how Leah feels? She's _Leah_. She's always moody and miserable. Why is today any different from all those other days? And maybe Bella is right, she is my beta but she's also old enough to look after herself.

Nessie is a baby and she needs my attention. There was a part of me that wanted to turn around and make my way back to the Cullens' house so I could be with her but Bella would know that I hadn't seen Leah. I'm sure that bloodsucker would tell her.

There was a throbbing pain in my heart as I jogged briskly up the porch steps, pausing at the door to ensure that there wasn't a reason for Leah to throw herself at me and try to kill me. I pounded against the door, hoping that she would answer it with haste and then yell at me to go away.

Her footsteps grew louder with every breath that I took. Swinging the door open, she looked surprised to see me there but it was quickly replaced by a combination of pain and fury. She stepped back swiftly and slammed the door but I blocked it with my hand, stopping it from closing.

"A simple 'thank you' would suffice," I told her sarcastically.

It seemed like the wrong thing to say as she wrenched the door out of my hands, pushing it with so much force that it rebounded off of its hinges, shutting behind her as she advanced towards me. A snarl erupted from her throat and for a second, I thought about phasing to protect myself.

"Why on earth would I thank you when this is your fault?" Leah asked in a menacingly low voice. "Oh Jacob, thank you _so_ much for ruining my life; I couldn't appreciate it more. It's the best thing anyone has ever done for me," she said sweetly but the sarcasm was sharp with every word that she spoke.

Confusion was fighting against anger as I tried to remember what I had supposedly done wrong. I'm so glad that I've found Nessie. When she grows up, she will be nothing like Leah. I know she will be a sweet, happy girl and I'll be the luckiest wolf alive.

"Do you even have a genuine reason for blaming me?" I tried to enquire in a curious voice but the resentment could be heard. "Or are you pre-menstrual? Oh no, sorry, my mistake, that's _definitely_ not it."

That was a cheap shot and I knew it. Tears filled her eyes and I relaxed my body, not even bothering to hide the shame that was visible on my face. I walked over to her and I was prepared for any form of retaliation that she had planned. My body was probably going to be covered with faint scars by the time I returned to Nessie, but if it made up for what I had said, it was worth it.

"Leah," I whispered. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it."

Refusing to accept my apology, she retorted, "Liar."

My arms wrapped around her body as she tried to struggle against my attempt to comfort her. I let her pound against my chest with her fists over and over again, until she eventually gave in and rested her head on my shoulder.

There was a faint scent of strawberry that hung in the air and I found myself murmuring, "I like the smell of your hair. It's soothing."

Leah broke away from the embrace and shot me a tiny smile. I'd never seen a genuine smile on her face before and I thought to myself, if I could make that smile widen then Bella will let me back into the house so I can play with Nessie again.

"You know," I began, trying to think of something nice to say. "I might suggest your brand of shampoo to Bella so she can bathe Nessie in it."

Her expression hardened and she glared at me furiously. "You're a jerk, Jacob Black," she snapped, running back towards her house. Unfortunately for her, I was faster and managed to make it to the door just as she reached the top step.

"What did I do now?" I groaned defensively at her behaviour. "Is it impossible for you to accept a compliment? Come to think of it, you still haven't told me why you're upset. Leah, if I've done something to make you even moodier than usual, tell me. It will affect the pack if the alpha and the beta are not getting along."

Everything that I had said was sincere but Leah didn't seem to agree. Her eyes locked with mine for a single solitary second and then she launched herself at me. I had to use all my strength to stop myself from phasing but she had already thrown me onto the ground and was now pinning me against it. She was strong even though she was human.

"Leah, get off of me!" I said fiercely, but I chose not to use my authority over her as the alpha. It would only infuriate her and if she phased, I knew her teeth would be at the skin of my neck.

"Since when do you care about anyone besides yourself?" Leah spat at me. "Oh wait, I forgot about your _precious_ Nessie."

Rage coursed through my veins and I pushed her away from me. Staggering slightly, she regained her balance and glared at me.

My eyebrows drew together while my eyes narrowed darkly. "Don't even think about dragging Nessie into this," I warned her. "What have you got against her anyway?"

"Sometimes I wish you had the ability to read minds," Leah whispered in an icy tone. "You don't get it, do you?" Tears returned in her eyes and she collapsed onto the porch steps, refusing to meet my gaze.

A deep sigh escaped my mouth and I went to sit next to her. "Can you just tell me what I've done wrong, please?" My voice was tired, exhaustion weighing me down. "We used to be so good together. Do you remember all the arguments and fights that we used to have? Every time I ordered you to stop and apologise to me, you got so annoyed afterwards and I would spend hours trying to cheer you up. It never worked though." I paused to chuckle. "Please, just tell me what I've done."

An awkward silence took over when I finished speaking.

She stood up, and the clouds shifted slightly in the sky, allowing a tiny ray of light to shine down on us. A crystal glistened on her cheek and when she looked down at me, I realised that her face was sparkling with tears. Making her way back into the house, she paused and hesitantly turned to face me.

"You imprinted."


	4. Shatter, Shimmer and Sunlight

**Twilight – Against All Odds**

**Author: L**

**Chapter 4 – Shatter, Shimmer and Sunlight**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Twilight or any of its characters.

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Leah's Point of View

I waited nervously for his reaction, predicting another piece of my heart snapping off when he finally decided to reply. The one thing that I had not expected was the fed-up look that he was staring at me with. Jacob opened his mouth several times but he was unable to conjure any sound.

"Jake, whatever it is that you want to say, just say it," I told him. Embarrassment washed over me when I heard the quiet desperation in my voice. It didn't sound anything like me.

His eyes grew darker under the shadow of his furrowed eyebrows. "I'm tired of people acting this way about Nessie," he said gruffly. "I know we both used to hate imprinting but it's not that bad. It feels nice having a soul mate, and I don't care that she's half-vampire. I love her."

It pierced all my defences and I watched him with disbelief. The fact that he had completely misunderstood why I was upset didn't seem as important as those three words he had said. I hated the jealousy that was beginning to cloud my thoughts and I considered telling him the truth.

When I turned my attention back to him, the tender longing that was in his eyes silenced me. My name didn't have to be Edward Cullen for me to know where Jacob really wanted to be. The second that he was sure I wasn't contemplating suicide, he would leave me again.

"You should go," I murmured. Seeing the indecision on his face, I continued, "No, really, Nessie's probably really missing you. Jake, you don't have to worry about me."

There was an increase in my heart rate when I saw the concern on his face. Even if he wasn't in love with me, at least he still cared about me. My momentary surge of joy vanished as he spoke again but he didn't notice the abrupt change in my expression.

"I better get back to the Cullens in case anything happened to Nessie while I was gone. I'm glad you're alright though," he said hastily with his back to me, walking in the direction of the forest. Pausing before he disappeared from sight, he called, "Don't worry, Leah; I'm sure you'll imprint soon and I know he will make you as happy as Nessie has made me."

He didn't see the crestfallen expression on my face as he phased, leaving me standing there, mourning the loss of something that I never really had. There were a lot of things that could fit under that description – Jacob, Jacob's love, Jacob's children and a future with Jacob. The list could go on and on but it would always be about Jacob.

Rather than allowing the whole of La Push to witness my breakdown, I stomped through the front door and entered into the comfort of my bedroom. Feeling weak is not acceptable and I had slipped up too many times already in the recent weeks.

Picking up my pillow, I started attacking it with my hands until it tore apart; the feathers fluttered around me like confetti snowing down. I grabbed the lamp on the bedside table and launched it forcefully against the opposite wall. It shattered, shimmering in every direction as the sunlight hit it.

A gentle knock on the door stopped me in the middle of my violent outburst. I had been so absorbed in destroying everything in sight that I hadn't heard the front door open. Instead of responding, I waited to see who it was that had the nerve to disturb me when I was in a mood like this.

The door cracked open slightly to reveal an anxious Seth. He entered my room cautiously, eying the ripped fabric and broken glass but wisely choosing not to comment on them. Seth was now staring at the floor as if it were the most interesting thing in the world.

In the uneasy silence, a hopeful thought suddenly crossed my mind. When I cleared my throat loudly in order to get him to look at me, Seth jumped and looked startled but I ignored his reaction.

"Did Jacob send you to check up on me?" I asked, trying to keep my voice casual and my breathing even.

From the blank expression that covered his face, I knew I was reading too much into it. He looked confused at my distraught and waited before speaking up again.

"No, Jacob's just been playing with Nessie," Seth replied. When he realised that this wasn't the right answer, he carried on down the wrong path. "He told us that you were upset because every member of the pack has imprinted except you but Leah, you'll probably imprint before I do."

Grumbling quietly, I muttered, "Stupid, brainless alpha."

He carried on speaking, having not heard the comment that I had made about his idol. "And then Bella asked him if that was the real reason you were unhappy, but he didn't reply because he was looking after Nessie so Bella asked me to come and make you were OK."

That bloodsucker must have told Bella how I felt and what I had been thinking about. I wanted to tear his head off for not minding his own business but then again, it did make me feel better knowing that I had somebody supporting me. It's strange though, I'm competing against her _daughter_ for her best friend's love yet she's on my side.

"How did Jacob look when he was talking about me?" I pressed, knowing that my brother would be puzzled even more by this question. "Did he seem troubled, or did he not care at all?"

"Um," Seth murmured, with a faraway look in his eyes as he tried to remember. "He had a sympathetic look on his face and I think that was it. When he saw Nessie, he was happy again and I didn't really pay attention to him after that because I was talking to Bella."

I tried to imagine the sympathy that Seth had described but when I closed my eyes, I saw only pity. Jacob knew I hated people feeling sorry for me and that was why he never expressed that type of emotion towards me. He would argue with me day and night, masking his commiseration with anger and sarcasm.

The only thing that he cared about now was the bloodsucker baby which made me highly doubt the chances of him keeping my likes and dislikes close to his heart. I must have dropped enough clues for the entire population of Forks to figure out the truth yet Jacob was still clueless.

Seth was caught off-guard as I flew past him, through the open doorway. As I stepped out onto the sandy, gravelly ground, I heard him follow me and shout, "Leah! Where are you going?"

"To the Cullens' house," I responded in a rush.

"Again?" he groaned and that was the last thing I heard before I phased into my wolf form.


	5. Damn You, Jacob Black!

**Twilight – Against All Odds**

**Author: L**

**Chapter 5 – Damn You, Jacob Black!**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Twilight or any of its characters.

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Alice's Point of View

My vision vanished completely but I was used to this now that Jacob was constantly involved in our lives. However, it completely caught me off-guard when Leah smashed the front door open and marched into the living room with a livid expression.

I really hated being "blind" and it was moments like these that made me resent the holes in my abilities. At this moment, not knowing what was going to happen did make it more exciting; I just wish I knew whether it was going to be a happy ending or not.

Edward shot me a warning look while Bella murmured in surprise, "Leah! You're... back."

"Yeah, I'm back," Leah muttered, not taking her gaze off of Jacob and Renesmee. She stood there tapping her foot angrily against the floor, her frustration growing each time it made contact with the varnished wood.

Cautiously joining them in the room, I realised that everyone was waiting for Jacob to notice Leah and I found myself doing the exact same thing. The door opened and light footsteps rushed nearer to us. We all turned to identify who the new arrival was and Seth trailed in, nervous at all the attention he was receiving.

"Oh Jake, look who's here," Bella said loudly with fake enthusiasm but it failed to mask over her anxiety.

He glanced up and gave the Clearwater siblings a small wave, instantly turning away and tickling Renesmee again. I groaned almost inaudibly and started to move towards Leah to calm her down in case she phased – which I was unsure about because my abilities are absolutely useless at the moment – but Edward shook his head.

"Jacob, look at me," growled Leah.

This seemed to infuriate Jacob, prompting a wary Bella to swiftly remove Renesmee from his hands. I desperately tried to find a way to look into the wolves' future but it was pointless. Instead, I stood there, needlessly holding my breath as I waited.

"Leah, if you're going to throw another strop and try to blame me for it, could you wait till tomorrow?" Jacob sighed, the anger flashing in his dark eyes. "You're wasting my time and you're also ruining my day with Nessie."

The movement was quick yet noticeable. Edward had pushed Bella and Renesmee into a corner of the room, gesturing to Quil and Embry with a nod of his head in the two warring wolves' direction. They understood my brother perfectly and subtly repositioned themselves.

Suddenly, a burst of grey fur erupted into the shape of a wolf where Leah had been standing and a second later, a red-brown wolf stood opposite her. They lunged forward, baring their teeth and growling at each other as they wrestled. The larger wolf, which resembled Jacob's physical size, was close to Leah's neck as the other three members of the pack tried to pull them apart.

I thought it was a really brave thing for them to do because they were still human and the wolves were snapping at anything in sight, although they were mostly closing their teeth around thin air. After they were separated, they both stalked out of the house and I was ready to follow them, hoping that they weren't planning on continuing their fight.

"Alice," Edward spoke softly. "They're going to phase back into a human. It's not appropriate for them to do it here because they have to get dressed."

An amused laugh came from one of the La Push boys, but they abruptly turned tense when Jacob and Leah came back into the house with hardened expressions.

"Why are you such a bitch?" Jacob snarled at her as soon as he had stopped the convulsions rippling through his body. "Nessie is too young to see that. I don't want her to be around when any fighting takes place and I don't want her to remember me like this when she grows up."

"I've had enough of this," she replied with a heavy voice that was swimming in pain and venom. It mixed together harshly, echoing in the high ceiling while they stared each other down, daring them to retaliate.

Leah spoke first. Her eyes were glazing over; her hands were clenched into tight fists. "Damn you, Jacob Black! I hate you! I hate you for making me love you!"

Astonishment washed over Seth, Quil and Embry as they took in the revelation but it was nothing compared to the shock on Jacob's face.

"That's not funny," he finally choked out and I wanted to hit him for being so stupid.

Ignoring Edward's stern expression, I put my arm around Leah's shoulder and pulled her close to my side. Surprisingly enough, she didn't shrug me off. In fact, she didn't do anything at all except stare at Jacob. Her sad eyes locked with his threatening ones.

Leah was full of disbelief. "Jake, do you actually think I would put my heart on the line if this was just a _joke_? I don't know why I even thought that there was a chance that you would like me back. You're still the same bastard that you have always been."

Jacob searched the room for a sign that told him he was hallucinating or dreaming. A few minutes passed by before he gave up, forced to accept that this was real.

"I love Nessie," he told her firmly but there was something in his tone that sounded defensive. "Leah, I do like you but not in the same way that you like me; you're my beta and... and that's all you are to me."

"Jake, please give it some thought. You might actually discover that you have feelings for me as well and that this is love is not as one-sided as you're assuming it to be," Leah pleaded. An unusual desperation could be heard in her voice.

Releasing an exasperated sigh, Jacob looked as if he were struggling to find the right words to say. "You can't fight an imprint – that's a fact. We can't change the way the world spins round," he tried to reason with her.

"Do you remember when we were kids?" Leah asked him quietly. "Do you remember when we used to think that all the Quileute legends were a load of rubbish? Werewolves didn't exist and neither did vampires, but all of those things turned out to be true."

"You can't fight an imprint," repeated Jacob forcefully. His voice was beginning to break and he averted his gaze. The awkwardness was making its way around the room.

"You don't know that!" Leah screamed. "To this day, I still resent Sam for leaving me and imprinting on Emily but when I see how happy they are together, I think to myself, that one day, maybe one day I will be able to let it go." She glowered at him and the tears finally spilled over in her eyes. "I don't think I will ever forgive you because at least Sam tried. He really tried to fight the imprint but you're a coward, Jacob Black. You're the worst alpha that a beta can ask for."

There was no time for silence as Jacob immediately opened his mouth to respond, but she intercepted prior to the words leaving his mouth.

"Have a nice life with that bloodsucker; but when she grows up and rejects you for a leech just like Bella did, I'm telling you Jake, don't come running back to me because I won't be here waiting for you. I won't be here full stop."


	6. Duty to Protect Her

**Twilight – Against All Odds**

**Author: L**

**Chapter 6 – Duty to Protect Her**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Twilight or any of its characters.

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Seth's Point of View

"_I won't be here waiting for you. I won't be here full stop."_

The words were ringing in my ears and my gaze was focussed on my sister. I was too afraid to look away or even blink because in the next second, she could be gone. A lengthy silence washed over the rest of us as we waited for her to explain, but she refused to elaborate.

From her sad expression, I knew she hadn't meant to tell us this. How could she keep this to herself? Did she honestly think that we wouldn't have noticed if something happened to her, or if she just mysteriously disappeared? I always knew Leah had been unhappy but I never expected her to actually go down this road.

She took a few steps towards me when she finally tore her gaze away from a shocked Jacob and realised that there were tears in my eyes. I quickly brushed them away and wrapped my arms around her tightly. Even though she was my older sister, I still felt it was my duty to protect her.

"Hey, Seth," she said into my shoulder which caused the words to come out muffled. "I love you, little brother. You know that, right?"

"I know," I mumbled in response. It felt embarrassing to cry in front of the other members of the pack and the Cullens but it was worth it to know that my sister was safe for now; although I wasn't sure what was going to happen next. "I love you too, Leah."

Our arms constricted while her tears soaked into my shirt. We pulled away from each other and a small smile tugged at her lips. The expression was reflected in my face as we gazed at each other through our watery eyes.

It wasn't until I was faced with the possibility of losing her, that I realised how much I needed my sister. In my mind, I promised my father's spirit that I would never take her for granted again.

"Leah?" Jacob's strangled voice break through the air and cut into my thoughts.

I took a step back; it was far enough to open up some space for them but close enough so that I could keep an eye on the situation. He was my alpha and my idol but she was my sister. There was no way that I could take sides between them.

Nervously raising her gaze to meet his, she waited, preparing herself for the heartbreak that was going to come her way. I wanted to kick myself for being so oblivious. I could hear her thoughts when we phased into werewolves yet I wasn't able to pick up on her feelings for Jacob. There was so much that I could have and _should have_ done but didn't.

"Jake, you don't have to feel guilty. You were in love with Bella when I started liking you and there was a part of me that knew you didn't love me. It's my fault; I set myself up for the fall and I'll deal with the consequences," she replied in a soft, sad tone.

Sniffling furiously, the tears continued to glide swiftly down her face. Witnessing my sister's distraught was enough to ignite the fury in me. In this moment, I didn't care that Jacob was one of the best alphas in the world and the coolest guy that I ever knew. He had hurt my sister and I wasn't going to let him get away with it.

Approaching her anxiously, Jacob whispered in a husky tone, "Leah, I'm sorry."

"Sorry is not good enough," I snarled at him furiously. Everyone looked towards me in astonishment, struggling to believe that I had actually made that comment. "You broke her heart and I want you to leave my sister alone. If anything happens to her, I'll make you pay, Jacob. I'm not scared of you," I threatened, fighting to hide the uncertainty.

He stared at me in surprise and the bewilderment quickly turned into a glare. "Mind your own business, Seth. I'm not the one to blame. Leah said so herself. And I'm your alpha which means that you need to show me some respect," Jacob growled.

Jacob was on the verge of attacking me and I crouched down into a low position, ready to fly at him. A torn Leah jumped in between us, putting a hand on my chest to calm me down.

In a defensive tone, she scowled at Jacob and shouted, "Don't ever talk to my brother like that again!"

I could read her pained expression clearly. She didn't want to argue with Jacob but he was out of order. Disbelief rushed through me as I remembered how highly I _used _to rate him. I felt pathetic for wanting to be like him.

Narrowing his eyes at me, Jacob deliberately ignored Leah. "She's a big girl, she'll get over it," Jacob sneered as his face hardened. His eyes grew cold, icing over.

"Hello! I'm still standing here." Leah's voice was dripping with sarcasm but she was a shadow of her former self.

They glowered at each other with the occasional growl running through their chests. If Edward hadn't spoken up, I would have completely forgotten that there were other people in the room besides the three of us. Not a breath had been heard from any of them.

"Leah," Edward murmured in a low voice as he wrapped his arm securely around Bella's waist. There was a fierce determination in his eyes and when he spoke again, there was a strong unease in his words. "Don't you think suicide is a little extreme?"


	7. Thinking About Suicide

**Twilight – Against All Odds**

**Author: L**

**Chapter 7 – Thinking About Suicide**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Twilight or any of its characters.

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Leah's Point of View

As six pairs of bewildered eyes stared at me, I groaned inwardly and glared at the bloodsucker. I knew what he was doing. If he told everyone that I had been thinking about suicide, they would never let me out of their sight and I wouldn't be able to do anything.

There was a small smile on his face as he heard my thoughts again. It didn't help the situation, only succeeding in infuriating me even more. Panic could be seen on my face while I struggled to explain what the leech had just informed everyone.

"S-s-suicide," Seth stuttered. He was hurt and I hated the mind-reader for causing the sadness my brother felt. We only had each other now that mom was spending all her time with Charlie, but we didn't mind as long as she was happy.

Hastily hurrying over to him, I pulled him into another hug and whispered, "I'm sorry, Seth." When I moved away from him, I narrowed my eyes and drew my eyebrows together in fury. "I only considered it for a few seconds," I muttered in the bloodsucker's direction. "You're invading my privacy and deliberately looking into my thoughts because I think _very_ quietly."

I found myself searching for Jacob's reaction again even though today proved that I shouldn't worry about what he thought. He obviously didn't care about me. When he caught my eye, he opened his mouth to speak but no sound came out. There was no anger, no pain, no confusion; he was dumbstruck.

"Were you really planning on committing suicide?" Embry asked. The disbelief was beginning to fade as it all started to sink in. "Did you actually want to kill yourself?"

If I was telling the truth, I would have said "Yes" but my brother's distress stopped me before the words could leave my mouth. Instead, I shot a warning look at the leech that told him if he repeated one word that had been in my mind, he was going to fly through a window.

"It was just an idea," I replied, trying to sound nonchalant. I shrugged my shoulders for an added effect.

"Why?" croaked Quil, removing his face from his hands. His shoulders were slumped and his lips were quivering.

I knew that question would come up eventually and it was the very one that I dreaded. How was I supposed to justify my reasons for wanting to kill myself? It would result in a number of different emotions, none of which were positive.

I decided to steal one final look at Jacob before I started speaking again. What I saw nearly knocked my legs out from under me, and my heart started thumping furiously. There were tears waiting in Jacob's dark eyes. He watched me sadly, clenching his fists tightly to control his shaking body but it wasn't shaking from anger.

"Why?" Jacob echoed but it had a hidden meaning when he asked it.

I could tell that they were already blaming Jacob for this. He is part of the reason but I don't want to him to have to live with the guilt. It was hard to be around Sam and knowing that he felt sorry for it made it worse. At the end of the day, I couldn't find it in me to completely hate him.

"I... Like I said, it was just a suggestion. I wasn't actually going to do anything. It was an option that I had but I've decided not to go down that road." I didn't add that the reason why I wasn't considering it anymore was because that bloodsucker had ruined my plans.

There was a silence as they considered my excuse. Defeated expressions from Quil, Embry and Bella told me that they didn't believe me but they weren't going to press the matter any further. Jacob had his back to me and I couldn't see his face which made me feel anxious. I was so focussed on him that I hadn't realised Seth had left my side.

My brother's voice ended my daydream before it had even begun. His words made me freeze on the spot, dreading the direction that this conversation was no heading in.

"Edward, is she telling the truth?" Seth asked the bloodsucker while he refused to meet my offended gaze. I tried to act hurt that he didn't believe me.

When he obstructed the rays of the sunlight, I saw the dried tears that had been running down his face; tears that my always-cheerful brother shed because of me.

My impulsive snarl at the bloodsucker caught his attention but he didn't appear the slightest bit concerned by my threat as he turned towards me calmly. "He's just worried about you, Leah. Tell him the truth because he deserves it. If you can hear the concern in his thoughts right now then you would agree with me. Your brother loves you, and if you commit suicide, he might just follow you."

I was horrified by that last sentence. Seth's face was deliberately looking in another direction so I wouldn't be able to read it. I knew what Edward said had been true though because more tears were gliding down Seth's cheeks.

Rushing over to him, I gripped his shoulders and forced him to look at me. Desperately trying to choke back the tears, I told him angrily, "S-Seth, d-don't t-t-think like that; _n-never_ think l-like t-that. I don't t-think I can s-stand it if anything h-h-happened to you."

"And you think I'll be dancing in the rain if anything happened to you?" he retorted. For a ridiculous second, I was proud of him for expressing sarcasm. It truly proved that he was my brother.

He dropped his gaze to the ground and then looked up at me again. Sighing softly, he said, "Leah, I just want to know... is this Jacob's fault?"

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jacob shifting slightly in his place by the window but a second later, his body had turned rigid, still as a statue. I hoped he was listening and not thinking about his imprint but if I was going to confess everything, I'd rather he was doing the latter.

Seth became impatient and gave up waiting for me to explain. He took half a step towards Edward. They stared at each other for a long time before the leech glanced back at Bella. He whispered something in her ear which made her move reluctantly next to Alice who was stood further away from us.

"Yes," Edward murmured in response to Seth's thoughts. There was a hint of unwillingness in his voice but when Seth frowned at him, he added, "You're right."

It happened so quickly that I regretted blinking. Seth was now pinned to the ground by Jacob while rippling waves ran through their arms. Quil and Embry dragged Jacob off of him while Edward restrained Seth. It made sense that the leech would want Bella to move into a safe spot.

"I'm warning you, stay away from Leah!" Seth shouted furiously. There was a deadly threat in his eyes that I had never seen before. "I don't want her ever thinking about suicide again. If that happens, I will find you and kill you."

"Shut up, Seth," Jacob sneered. Renesmee's crying sliced through the tense atmosphere making Jacob glower at him. "How could you scare Nessie like that? She's half-vampire which means that she has sensitive hearing, you idiot."

I'd had enough. I was going to put an end to this now. Pretending that I hadn't seen Jacob literally fly over to Renesmee, I pulled Seth away from the leech and mumbled in a low voice, although everyone in the room would be able to hear it no matter how quietly I spoke.

"I don't want to stay here. I'm going to leave... tonight. Seth, I want you to promise me that you're going to look after yourself and that you're not going to get into any trouble." I tried to hold the tears back but I couldn't. Suicide would have been the easier option because saying goodbye was practically killing me.

I had told myself I would never shed a tear for another guy except for my father and my brother but here I was, secretly crying for Jacob. I never wanted to share a soppy moment with anyone again but I was standing here today, experiencing one with my brother, because of Jacob.

Seth held me tightly and whispered, "I'm going with you. I'm not leaving you on your own and I don't want to stay here either. There's no way I'm going to be in a pack with an alpha that broke my sister's heart." Ignoring the bystanders, he led me to the door by my wrist and said, "Let's go."

He phased first but I followed immediately. Despite my best efforts, I couldn't help looking back. The sight of the empty doorway reignited the stinging pain in my heart. I would never see his lopsided grin again, or feel his hands against mine as he tried to stop me from biting him. The thing I feared the most was that I would never stop loving him.


	8. Fighting Back

**Twilight – Against All Odds**

**Author: L**

**Chapter 8 – Fighting Back**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Twilight or any of its characters.

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Jacob's Point of View

I had heard Leah's plan to leave and Seth's decision to go with her. There were words buzzing around in my mind incoherently and I hoped that they would make sense when they left my mouth. Nessie's adorable smile distracted me and by the time I looked up, she – I mean _they_ – were gone.

It didn't bother me the slightest bit although I desperately tried to be concerned about it. They had both been in my pack for a while and it was my duty to look after them. I wanted to think about Leah's confession but all I could imagine was Nessie telling me that she loved me in the future.

Shaking my head, I put a warm finger to her cheek, stroking it gently. If it was possible, I could sit there and watch her all day. It would be the most fulfilling period of my life; nothing could be better than spending everyday with the girl I loved.

"Hey Jake," Bella called from across the room. "Give Renesmee to Alice and come over here. We need to talk to you."

"You don't have a choice," Edward added in an amused tone before I could open my mouth and whine. His face was serious but there was a hint of excitement in his eyes.

Alice had moved swiftly to my side, ready to take Nessie from my hands. I looked longingly at her beautiful face, placing my lips against her forehead softly. Standing up, I handed Nessie to Alice with deliberate reluctance.

An irritated sigh travelled from the other side of the room. "You're not going half-way around the world, Jake," Bella groaned. "Hurry up, this is important."

With four long strides, I reached the two of them and cringed as she pulled me down onto the couch. Being seated between them was something that I had not expected. Nessie had the purest, most innocent scent but I couldn't say the same for her parents. They absolutely stunk.

Edward chuckled at my thoughts. "Thanks for saying that we smell."

"I think we smell pretty great actually," laughed Bella. "But you on the other hand," she teased. "Now I understand what they were all complaining about."

Grumbling slightly, I focussed on Nessie who was laughing happily while Alice sang to her. Even though I knew she was safe, it didn't change the fact that I was worried about her. I knew I was being overprotective, the very thing that I had accused Edward of being a few months ago.

"I'm glad we're on the same page," he said in a light tone but his face became expressionless when Bella cleared her throat in annoyance. "We don't have much time left so we need to do this right away."

Confusion swept over me and I hastily stood up as a reflex reaction. Edward and Bella each took one of my arms, pushing me back down. I was ready to lose my temper with them when he muttered impatiently, "It's got nothing to do with Nessie. This is about someone else who is equally as important to you as Nessie is, maybe more."

Snorting incredulously, I tried to think of someone who could fit that description but it was impossible. Suddenly, Bella's hand slapped against the bare skin of my arm, causing me to wince from the contact.

"Focus," she ordered. "I want you to answer every question that we ask with intent thought, and it would help if you could do it with a bit of speed."

Waiting silently for them to begin, I started to feel uneasy and it wasn't a reaction to the smell anymore. They kept exchanging anxious glances which made me feel nervous. It was already hard enough trying to keep my eyes off of Nessie and the delay didn't help take the edge away.

The first question caught me off-guard. "How did you feel when Leah told you that she had feelings for you?" Edward asked in a low murmur. "I hope you won't feel uncomfortable about this but if you're struggling to express your thoughts, I will help you out and explain it myself."

I barely held the end of that sentence as I tried to remember how that scene had played out. Nessie managed to sneak her way into my thoughts again and I smacked a hand against my forehead as my mind went blank. Why did it matter how I felt when Leah revealed her secret?

"Trust me, it matters," said Edward quietly.

In my head, the gears were overworking. Loose emotions were flying around while I attempted to force them together. It was like two pieces of a puzzle that wouldn't join together no matter how hard you tried to make them.

"Um, I... I was shocked," I shrugged, deciding to just say anything that I could think of as opposed to taking the time to actually understand it. "I didn't see it coming. My mind felt confused, and I was angry that she was telling me this when she knew that I was in love with Nessie. Leah's pain then became my pain and I loathed myself for hurting her. I don't know why but... I was thinking about the newborn battle."

"The newborn battle," Bella repeated, looking as perplexed as I felt.

She watched the concentration on Edward's face with curiosity. When he spoke again, the confusion vanished from her expression.

"It was when Leah had discovered that one of the newborns was hiding and she had gone after him, nearly getting herself injured in the process, but Jacob pushed her out of the way to protect her," he reminded us.

Realisation dawned on Bella's face but I still felt like I was being kept in the dark. "I don't understand," I admitted, wondering why my answer was making their eyes sparkle. "Why did you want to know that? Do you even have a reason for interrogating me?"

"No time to explain," muttered Bella hastily. "OK, next question. What was going through your mind when you found out that Leah was planning on committing suicide, and you realised it was because of you?" When she saw me wince at her choice of words, she cringed and said, "Sorry."

Depression swam through my veins and my forehead creased as I imagined life without Leah. "I don't want to lose her," I choked out, forgetting the question that they had just asked. "And now she's leaving. What am I going to do without her?"

A strange emptiness that I had been oblivious to was now stronger than ever in the pit of my stomach. They had a small knowing smile on their faces, seemingly ecstatic at my visibly pained expression. I frowned at them in bewilderment, completely exasperated.

Feeling self-conscious at their constant staring, I protested, "What? Do I have something on my face?"

"You did it!" Bella said loudly. "I'm so happy for you."

"Wait, what are you talking about? What did I do?" I asked irritably. Their cryptic behaviour was beyond annoying now.

Edward laughed, bemused, and clapped me on the back. "Well done, you've gone at least ten minutes without thinking or talking about Nessie. You're fighting back, fighting the imprint and acknowledging your feelings for Leah."

Astonishment crashed against me in heavy waves. The shock hit me full in the face. What had just happened? At the mention of Nessie, her face, her smell, everything about her started to flood my thoughts. There was a struggle in my mind between Nessie and Leah while I tried to see things from Edward and Bella's perspective.

"Come on, you have to go after her," Bella urged. "She's leaving _tonight_. You can still make it if you hurry."

"I don't know," I mumbled. Throwing my face into my hands, a muffled groan escaped me. Is it really possible to fight against nature? But the real question was: did I _want_ to fight?


	9. Goodbye

**Twilight – Against All Odds**

**Author: L**

**Chapter 9 – Goodbye**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Twilight or any of its characters.

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Leah's Point of View

The wardrobe and the drawers were half-open with my belongings hanging out of them. I scanned the room to see if there was anything else that I needed or wanted for my journey. A sudden wave of sadness rushed through me as it finally dawned on me that I was never going to see this place again.

In this room, this house, there were so many memories that I was not willing to leave behind. I had spent my entire life here. Every time I went down the stairs and into the living room, I was flooded with memories of my dad sitting there, telling Seth the old Quileute legends. Whenever he asked me to join them, I would groan reluctantly, making him laugh.

When my father died, I stayed in my room and cried. I cried until one day, I forced myself to accept that he was gone. This room had witnessed my happiness, my joy, my pain and my anger. I thought back to all the times that I had spent with Sam in this room, enjoying each other's company.

After Sam had imprinted on Emily, I never let anyone see the tears that fell for him. This room had been my solitary space and the second that I had stepped foot in here, they respected my privacy and left me to my misery. I didn't even want to leave my room, let alone La Push.

Maybe I was making the wrong decision. While I was considering this, a rectangular object in my wardrobe caught my attention. The box held pictures of Sam. They had been ripped and then taped back together. The very first present that he had bought me was a scarf, and it now lay in there.

Thinking about it didn't hurt me now but to be honest, it wasn't a surprise. At first, I thought the pain had been numbed but it took me a while to realise that it had disappeared. There was a part of me that would always love Sam but I didn't feel anything towards him anymore.

Hesitantly walking over to the wardrobe, I pulled a jacket off of its hanger. It was black on the outside and white on the inside. Pulling it up to my face, I breathed in the familiar, enticing scent. Jacob had given it to me the night my father died, when he drove me home from the hospital.

Folding it carefully, I sat down on the bed and placed it into one of my mom's small suitcases. Breathing a long sigh, I could feel the moisture in my eyes. Blinking back the tears, I ran my hand across the mattress and gave the walls another longing look.

"Leah!" Seth called, breaking the silence. His voice had travelled up the stairs, echoing around the house. "Are you ready?"

"Yeah, I'm coming!" I replied with a shout of my own.

Closing the suitcase, I pulled at the zip and set it on the floor. Giving the room one last glance, the pain that I felt was indescribable. This was it. The last time I would ever see the house or La Push again. I didn't want to say goodbye but there was no point in staying here any longer.

I trudged down the stairs with my suitcase and saw Seth waiting by the door with a worried expression on his face. Bella's old truck could be seen through the open doorway. She had given it to Seth for his birthday when he expressed interest in it. As an additional present, Jacob had done some work on it to make it run faster.

Seth had already loaded his bag into the bed of the truck and when I reached the bottom step, he silently took my suitcase from me. I could see the concern remain in his eyes even though I had tried to smile reassuringly at him.

I shut the front door gently, taking a few steps back to get a final image of the house in my mind. With one swift motion, I jumped from the top porch step onto the ground beside the truck. When I was sure that Seth wouldn't notice, I scanned every part of the forest that I could see. The trees were still; not even the tiniest bit of movement could be heard in there.

"I rang mom and told her that we're taking a trip," Seth said, awkwardly trying to make conversation as he leant against the truck. "I didn't want to worry her so I thought that we could wait until she got home from her vacation before we tell her the truth. She's going to kill us for running off like this though." I didn't miss the flash of misery across his light expression.

"Seth, it's OK if you want to stay," I insisted in a soft tone. "I don't mind. It's not fair for you to leave your entire life behind just for me. You don't have to worry about me, I'll be alright."

He instantly responded without even taking the time to think. "I'm not leaving you. Leah, I promised to look after you and that's exactly what I'm doing now. Yeah, I'm going to really miss this place, but I'll miss you a hundred times more if you leave without me."

I could feel the tears in my eyes again as I wrapped my arms around him tightly. "It's like you're the big brother," I laughed. "I know this is selfish, but I'm really happy that you're coming with me." There was a grin tugging at my lips.

"Come on, we should go," he murmured, pulling away from me.

My feet moved reluctantly towards the passenger seat but my eyes were glued to the forest. I heard Seth open the door on his side of the truck yet it didn't slam shut. There was a lengthy pause before Seth let out a sigh that cut through the air.

"Jake's not going to come," Seth mumbled gently. "He's not worth it, Leah. I know you want to say goodbye to him but it will just hurt you even more."

He was now sitting in the driver's seat, door closed, with an expression that required a lot of focus to read. I could see anger that he felt towards Jacob but he was also fighting a sympathetic look that was trying to cross his face; anxiety was the dominant emotion among his features.

"I know," I whispered, finally tearing my gaze away and sliding into the seat. Turning my head so that I was looking out of the window, I remained transfixed on the house as Seth started the engine. I didn't want him to see the tears but I was almost certain that he could hear the sniffling.

The truck started shakily along the sandy path with dust flying in every direction. I wasn't paying the slightest bit of attention to where we were going as I focussed on freezing the sharp pain that struck my heart like a bolt of lightning. I suddenly jerked forward in my seat as Seth slammed on the brakes. Gasping loudly, I could feel the truck stop abruptly as it collided with something.

"Oh my God," I shrieked with my heart thumping furiously. "Did we just hit someone?!"

"No," Seth replied in a cold voice. "Unfortunately, we didn't," he added, his tone still icy.

My brother's behaviour scared me, especially when I saw that his face had grown angry and his arms were shivering from the convulsions that were running through them. His hands were clasped tightly around the steering wheel and for a second, I wondered if it was going to break. As Seth narrowed his eyes, he glowered through the windshield.

I followed his line of sight to find a pair of strong, muscular hands gripping the front of the truck. The shaggy black hair was familiar and when his head shot up, I was met with a pair of desperate, solemn eyes that I had no trouble identifying.


	10. Raining Tears

**Twilight – Against All Odds**

**Author: L**

**Chapter 10 – Raining Tears**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Twilight or any of its characters.

**Author's Note:** I really want to thank everyone for reading and reviewing this story. I love Jacob and Leah so it means a lot to me that you like it.

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Leah's Point of View

Seth was growling furiously while I tried to recover from the shock of seeing Jacob standing there. When I realised that my brother was reaching for the door handle, I instantly jerked his arm away. His expression softened as he turned to face me but his eyes were still wary.

"I want to speak to Jacob," I told him firmly although I could tell how he was going to react.

"Leah –" he started to protest.

"Please Seth. If I don't talk to him now, I think I'll regret it forever."

There was a moment of indecision on his face as he glanced back and forth between Jacob and I. It had started to rain heavily, and the drops fell loudly against the truck. A sigh escaped from Seth's mouth and he relaxed his body, gesturing with his hand to the door. I shot him a grateful smile before opening it and stepping out of the truck.

I could feel Jacob watching my every move and it made me even more nervous as I approached him cautiously. My heart wasn't prepared for any more pain and I wondered how much more I could take before it finally became too much.

Neither of us spoke, both of us waiting for the other to begin. The rain had caused Jacob's hair to fall down over his eyes, sticking to his face in clumps. My own hair had already become soaked within the few seconds that I had been in the rain. The silence got tenser with every minute that passed until Jacob made the first move. His deep husky voice was laced with pain and confusion.

"I'm glad I got here it in time," he said slowly. His eyes looked everywhere but at me.

There was so much that I wanted to say to him because it was my last chance to do so. I couldn't choose and decided to go with the least important thing. It was a neutral question; one that wouldn't result in any heartbreak. At least, I hoped it wouldn't.

"What are you doing here, Jake?" I asked in a low voice. The rain splattered on every surface that it hit but I knew that he had no trouble hearing me.

Jacob stared at the ground for a minute, looking deep in thought while he tried to word his reply. "I came here to say goodbye," he murmured. His answer was sharp, cutting through the ray of hope that I had foolishly raised. "But then I realised... I realised that I didn't want to."

My mouth hung open in disbelief, wondering if I had imagined that. His expression was serious with anxiety in his dark eyes. Inching closer to me, Jacob put his finger underneath my chin and lifted my head to meet his gaze. This convinced me that I was definitely dreaming. There was no way that this was actually happening.

"Leah," he whispered my name meaningfully. There was a longing in his voice that I recognised after having used it so many times in my own. "Don't go," Jacob pleaded. Desperation radiated from his tone and his eyebrows scrunched together sadly.

Those were the words that I had been wishing for. They were the very words that made my heart race, beating faster than I could run. However, I couldn't shake the feeling that he was only here because he didn't want to have to live with the guilt of me leaving, but his expression was completely sincere. Another factor swam around in my mind until I was forced to voice it.

Breathing deeply, I raised a sceptical eyebrow. "What about Nessie? You said it yourself, you can't fight an imprint. It's impossible, Jake. Why would you put yourself through all that? Is it just because you want to clear your conscience?"

I had to take every precaution there was. It wasn't fun constantly having your heart broken and I didn't want to take that risk again. I needed to know that he loved me, that he wasn't going to turn around and leave me.

Shaking his head, Jacob struggled to explain. "I... Leah... The thing is..." he stuttered before looking away in frustration. Inhaling deeply, he recomposed himself and tried again. "I don't know how but Bella and Edward managed to make me realise that I do have feelings for you. It's really confusing and I still don't understand what's happening but I know that I'm fighting back. Maybe one day I will be able to break the imprint, and then we can be together."

It was so tempting to fall into his arms while they wrapped around me but I had to use all the self-control I possessed to refrain myself. A grin was spreading across his lips and I was sure that I still had an astonished and perplexed look on mine. Everything I wanted was standing right in front of me, and for the first time, I could actually have it.

If only life was really that simple. The rain was gracing my body but while it felt cold against my arms, it was warm on my cheeks. It took me a second to realise that they were tears, not water droplets, but I didn't know why I was crying.

"Jake, I don't think I can stand losing someone that I love again," I murmured. My heart rate sped up when he took my hands into his own, pulling me close to his body but I stopped myself from getting distracted. "What happens if you can't break the imprint? The bond is so strong between Nessie and you. It's _impossible_. I think it's time that I accepted that."

"We thought a lot of things were impossible," replied Jacob with a gentle smile. "There aren't many – I'm not even sure if there are any – female wolves running around, kicking all the male wolves' asses." I laughed softly at that, and he paused to do the same. "But Leah, the thing is we will never know if we don't try."

Rolling my eyes lightly at the clichéd line, I broke down my defences and rested my head against his warm, muscular chest. He placed a hand around my waist protectively and the other high up on my back. Jacob breathed in my scent and buried his face in my hair.

For a long moment, there was nothing but the sound of the rain, which had no intention of letting up, crashing into the ground. This was what I had been waiting for, dreaming of. I'd finally gotten my happy ending.

Without warning, Jacob suddenly tore away from me. There was two feet of space separating us now and his expression was confused. I waited for him to explain but my heart sunk when the truth dawned on me. Jacob's eyes had betrayed him several times in the past, and it had managed to succeed again today.

"Were you thinking about Nessie?" I asked in a choked voice, feeling the tears sliding down my face. Silence washed over us; the rain was getting worse but my brain was filtering the sound out. I already knew the answer but I needed to hear it, even though it was going to inflict more pain upon me. "Jacob, answer me!"

Reluctantly raising his gaze to meet mine, I saw that his face was full of sorrow. It wrenched my wounded heart wide open and stabbed at it in every direction. I couldn't distinguish where the water on my face came from now. As far as I was concerned, my eyes were raining tears.

"I'm sorry, Leah," Jacob mumbled. A tear slid down his face, standing out among the other watery drops that were running across it. "I'll do better in the future. I'll make sure it doesn't happen again," he started babbling desperately, reaching out to take my hands again.

Pulling away, I sniffled, frantically trying to find my voice. "Please don't put yourself through this, Jake," I cried. "I can't watch you torture yourself like this. It's alright," I tried to convince him. "I've gone through this before; a second time won't hurt. Imprinting is nature, and you can't fight against nature. I was wrong, Jake. You belong with Nessie."

Spinning around, I hurried towards the truck but Jacob grabbed my arm and turned me to face him. I tried to wrench my wrist from his grip but it was useless. He put a hand on my back and pushed me into his body, his lips hungrily capturing mine.

The kiss knocked the breath out of me and my lips moulded perfectly with his. I swung both arms around his neck, trying to close what distance there was between us. Part of me wanted to break away, knowing that the longer it went on, the harder it will be to do the right thing, but the other half wanted to be selfish for once, and urged me to fight for my man.

We took turns to explore each others' mouths and I was left with a sweet taste that was exhilarating. I didn't want it to end. Gathering enough strength, I broke away from the kiss and we stood there with our eyes locked together, just waiting.

"Leah," Jacob begged and it was enough to bring me back to reality.

Untangling myself from his body, I kissed him on the cheek, holding my lips there for a long second. A few minutes went by and I knew it was inevitable. "I'm bitter because I tried to hold onto a love that I could never have. Jake, I don't want you to end up like me. I don't want you to resent me in the future because you love Nessie but you feel obligated to be with me."

He opened his mouth with every intention of arguing but he couldn't get the words out.

"I want you to be happy," I whispered, trying to hold back the tears. "Goodbye, Jake."

As I turned away, he grabbed my arm again in a last-ditch attempt to get me to stay. "Leah," he repeated as his eyes desperately pleaded with me.

I silently removed his hand from my arm and walked away. Opening the door, I jumped into the truck and waited for Seth to start the engine but he didn't. I instantly grew worried, snapping my head up to see if he had left the truck without me hearing.

He was still sitting there, eyes focussed ahead. Jacob was stood in front of us, refusing to move. I stared at him, sobbing quietly. After a while, he slowly cleared the path in defeat. I wasn't strong enough; I didn't have the willpower to not look back.

I was expecting an empty road having predicted that Jacob would have phased and run to the Cullens' so that he could see Nessie again. Instead, my final memory of La Push was a broken Jacob Black, watching the truck drive away.

The tears flowed freely and I didn't stop them. Clutching onto Seth's arm, I buried my face into his shoulder and cried. I cried for Jacob Black.

**

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**

The End


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